Mind's Eye
by bree1387
Summary: After a routine supply run, Harper inadvertantly brings back an entity that could destroy the ship, and his relationship with the crew. [Complete]
1. Default Chapter

Title: Mind's Eye  
Author: Megan  
Spoilers: minor ones for D Minus Zero and Harper 2.0 at some point  
AN: This is my first Andromeda story, any feedback is welcome! This story takes place in early season one when Dylan was still getting used to his new crew, and was trying to stick to Commonwealth protocol, so if he seems like a jerk, that's why. Also, I'm not a Rev fan so he won't appear. Enjoy!  
  
"Come on, Boss, just one more day," Harper whined as Beka swiftly piloted the Maru away from the seedy Winnipeg Drift.  
  
        "For the hundredth time, no, Harper. Dylan expects us back at the ship by the end of the day. Andromeda needs these supplies, or did you forget already?" Beka was starting to feel like a broken record, repeating that over and over.  
  
        "Why is it always what Dylan wants? Remember the good old days when we had the freedom to..."  
  
        Beka cut him off. "Oh, you mean the good old days when we spent half of the time wondering if we'd have enough money for basic supplies, like food, and the other half wondering if the people employing us were going to kill us and steal the Maru?"  
  
        "Oh yeah, just feel free to rain on my parade," Harper grumped, sitting on top of the railing behind the captain's chair.  
  
        "Rain on your parade? Harper, you're..."  
  
        "Witty? Charming?"  
  
        "I was going to say unoriginal. How are the repairs coming?" Beka changed the subject, intoning that Harper should drop it and get back to work.  
  
        "Gee, Boss, I didn't know you cared," he sarcastically replied as he made his way back to the panel and continued the repair. "Harper do this, Harper do that. Do I get one extra day to explore a drift? And a few babes while I'm at it? No. Instead I'm stuck here..." He was interrupted when the ship suddenly lurched to the side, before jerking forward and coming to a complete stop. The cockpit started to fill with smoke from one of the many small fires burning at various consoles. "Geez, Beka, I know I can talk a lot, but there are better ways to shut me up," he nervously joked after having almost knocked himself out on the railing as he fell.  
  
        "Shut up, Harper."  
  
        "Exactly."  
  
        Beka ignored him and instead focused on the read outs on her computer screen. "External sensors are showing some sort of minor gravitational disturbance. We're past it now, but why we didn't pick it up beforehand I don't know."  
  
        "Well I'm afraid I've got some bad news," the engineer said as he slid under the console after noticing thick black smoke seeping from it. "Looks like all the circuitry here is fried, which is unfortunate 'cause the electricity needed to stabilize the AG field around the slipstream drive is routed through these relays. Must have been a power surge."  
  
        "Can you fix it?"  
  
        "Who do you think you're talking to? Of course normally I'd have to manually replace all the fried wiring and relays, but I don't have enough relays to replace all the damaged ones. Even if I did, it would take more than a day. So, being the genius that I am..."  
  
        "Harper..." Beka warned.  
  
        "I'll interface and reroute the power at the source. It will only take ten minutes."  
  
        "I knew I kept you around for a reason," Beka smiled at him.  
  
        Harper grinned and prepared physically and mentally for the interface. No matter how many times he interfaced, he could never get used to the feeling of the jack sliding into his port. There was always a flash of pain just as the jack entered his brain. Of course, once the jack was in, being able to 'physically' enter a computer made the discomfort worth it.  
  
        Beka watched, fascinated and yet a little disturbed as her young engineer interfaced with the Maru's computer. She'd seen him do it many times, but the idea of something that long being pushed into your brain was revolting to her. His body went slack, and she knew he had successfully entered the computer.  
  
        "Alright, I know you're in here," Harper called to the damaged circuitry as he started searching through the pathways for it. "Yes! The Harper, is in. I'm just so good at this I don't know what you'd do without me, babe. For a bucket of bolts, you and me..." He started to make new pathways for the electricity to follow and stopped his running commentary as he focused on his work.  
  
        Out of nowhere, the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand up. Knowing it was ridiculous, but nonetheless feeling he was being watched, Harper spun, expecting someone or something to be standing behind him.  
  
        "I, I'm sorry I called you a bucket of bolts," he nervously called, feeling foolish but unable to help it. "Ya know, we should get together more often." He gave a nervous grin.  
  
        He turned back to building the new pathways when suddenly the streams of electricity and computer code started to move on their own. Slowly, they drew closer together and started to form a three dimensional object.  
  
        "Hey! What are you doing?" Backing up, he started to raise his arms, as though preparing to fend off an attacker and seriously considered getting the hell out of there.  
  
        The object 'grew' to match Harper's height, and as he watched, started to develop his facial features, and even mirrored the clothes he was wearing. The eyes remained closed, and it stood stationary.  
  
        Curiosity started to outweigh his fear as he watched the object slowly turn into a replica of himself. Maybe the power surge had created a new life form? Inching forwards, he stood three feet from it and reached out a tentative hand towards its face. Without warning, the eyes popped open to reveal empty sockets that were blacker than midnight.  
  
        Gasping, Harper stumbled back, but not before the object reached out and gripped his bicep in an iron grasp. Wincing from the pain, Harper tried to wrench his arm free, but to no avail. "Hey, I know they always say pick on someone your own size, but maybe you should be picking on someone your own, uh, energy signature. Yeah."  
  
        Swiftly, the object lunged at Harper and smothered him, completely enveloping his body within its energy. Feeling as though every nerve in his body was on fire, Harper screamed as loud as he could.  
  
        Beka started to worry. Harper said he'd only be in there ten minutes. It was pushing thirty minutes now. 'He's a big boy, he knows what he's doing,' she told herself. Glancing over to make sure he was still breathing, she noticed a subtle change in his appearance. His body had tensed, and she could see his chest rising and falling faster than normal.  
  
        Putting the Maru on autopilot, she stood and started to make her way over to him when his eyes flew open and he yelped in pain as sparks started to fly from his port.  
  
        "Harper!" She ran the rest of the way and knelt beside him as he yanked the cable from his neck and gasped for breath. "Harper, are you alright? What happened?"  
  
        He slowed his breathing before answering. "I... I think it was another power surge," he said without conviction. Deep down he knew there had been nothing to cause a power surge. Thinking back, he started to panic again when he realized he couldn't remember exactly what had happened. "Wha... what happened? I can't remember?"  
  
        "Easy, Harper," Beka placated as she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. She couldn't miss how tight the muscles were. "You got quite a shock there. Is it possible it interfered with your memory?"  
  
        Harper quieted as he considered this. "I... I guess. All I remember is creating new pathways, then, uh, waking up just now." He could feel his heart rate starting to slow down, and he closed his eyes to collect himself further.  
  
        "Harper? Stay with me, kiddo." Beka started to worry when his eyes closed. She'd seen him receive electric shocks before, but he'd never been affected like this. "Open your eyes," she commanded.  
  
        "I'm alright. I'm good," Harper breathed as he opened his eyes.  
  
        "Like hell you are. I'm getting us back to the Andromeda right now. I want you to stay awake. You hear me?" Beka knew Harper had a tendency to hide his injuries and continue to work as though nothing was wrong. She wasn't sure if it was just his personality that made him like that, or the result of working for less than savoury characters in the past. Either way, she felt a surge of anger at the people who had treated him like that.  
  
        "I'm actually starting to feel better." He wasn't lying to stop Beka from worrying about him. He really was feeling better. "I'll just gather my tools and finish the repairs."  
  
        "No, Harper. Just stay here," Beka ordered as she stood and made her way to the captains' chair. "You did get the power supply rerouted to the AG field, right?"  
  
        "I... I think so. Only one way to find out."  
  
        "Great," Beka sarcastically replied. She entered the course into the computer and silently prayed as she prepared to start up the slipstream drive. She was flooded with joy as she felt the power energize the ship and entered the slipstream. With an occasional glance at Harper, she continued to stream all the way back to the Andromeda. Upon exiting, she heaved a sigh of relief seeing the ship waiting expectantly for them. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard Harpers voice right beside her.  
  
        "Honey, I'm home," he sang.  
  
        "God, Harper! You scared the crap out of me! Get back to the corner and sit the hell down!"  
  
        "Nah, I'd rather stand. I don't think all that sitting could be very good. Do you? Man, I feel like I could run a marathon right now! Let's get back to the ship so I can start installing these replacement parts." Harper practically bounced up and down beside her.  
  
        "Beka, good to see you back so soon. You had a successful trip I take it?" Dylan inquired, as his expectant face appeared on the screen.  
  
        "You could say that. Have Trance meet us in med-deck, Harper's hurt himself."  
  
        Dylan's look of delight at having obtained the supplies changed to one of concern, then mild confusion. "I hope it's nothing serious, he looks fine to me."  
  
        "I'll explain everything after we've docked, Beka out."  
  
  XxXxXxXxXxX  
      

Harper stepped out of the Maru into the Andromeda's docking bay and heaved a deep sigh. "Home, sweet home. Where the cowboys and buffalo roam," he sang quietly to himself.

        Beka rolled her eyes. "Alright, cowboy, off to med-deck with you."  
  
        "No. I'm going to unload the Maru and start the repairs. See ya!" the engineer cheerfully called and started to turn away.  
  
        "Harper, you were practically electrocuted! Ya know? Extra crispy? You need to be checked out," Beka insisted, losing her patience.  
  
        "I'm fine, Boss. Really. It's happened before. I've got a lot of work to do, so, bye!"  
  
        "Seamus Zelazny Harper! I don't know what the hell's gotten into you, but you are going to see Trance even if I have to carry your skinny ass all the way down there!"  
  
        "I'd like to see you try, Captain Valentine," he taunted, practically spitting out the title, and staring her right in the eye.  
  
        Beka was so mad she was sure she'd sprout horns at any minute. "What did you say to me?" her tone low and threatening, barely containing the anger she felt building up.  
  
        "Oh, I get it. Think you own me, do you? Used to telling me what to do and having me work myself sick until I get the job done? Well I'll tell you what. From now on, Harper is nobody's slave. Especially yours. I see you for what you really are, Captain. You use everyone for your own gain. You pretend to care about me when you need me to fix something, but the moment I'm no good I'll be out the airlock, right? Well guess what. I don't need your pity or charity because I'm a mudfoot, and I sure as hell don't need you!"  
  
        Harper had inched forward during his tirade and was now standing a mere few inches from her. His body was tense, his breathing ragged, and he had a dangerous glint in his eye. One that made her want to take a step back. She had never seen him look like this before. And he had certainly never talked to her like that either. What he said had hurt, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of showing it. His cold blue eyes stared into hers for another few seconds before he marched out of the bay, leaving her relieved.  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
        "Dylan, I'm telling you, there's something really wrong with Harper," Beka asserted as she paced back and forth in Dylan's office.  
  
        "Why, because you had a fight?" Dylan asked, a note of dubiousness in his voice. "These things happen, Beka. I'm sure if you give him a few hours he'll calm down and forget the whole thing even happened."  
  
        "No. We've had arguments before, but this was different. His eyes. I thought he was going to physically hurt me. God, his mood was altering so swiftly on the Maru I seriously thought he had taken some sort of drug! Then he accused me of being a slaver and working him until he's sick as a dog!"  
  
        "And you think this behaviour change has something to do with the failed interface?"  
  
        "It must because he changed right after it happened. Of course he won't go and see Trance, so we have no way of knowing for sure."  
  
        "Would you like me to go and talk to him? I'll force him to see Trance if need be." Dylan was having a hard time believing Harper could have said what he did to Beka.  
  
        "Yes, and be careful." Beka almost cringed as she said that. This was Harper she was talking about. How dangerous could he possible be? 


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews guys, I'm glad you like it!   
  
Disclaimer: Gene Roddenberry owns these characters (except for the 'entity'), I make no money from this (darn)   
  
XxXxXxXx

Dylan entered the machine shop quietly so he could observe Harper before talking to him. At the moment, the engineer was working feverishly on sorting all the parts he and Beka had retrieved while humming to himself. He appeared to be totally absorbed in his work, and most importantly, healthy.  
  
        "Mister Harper." Dylan announced his presence. Harper almost dropped the instrument he was holding in shock, and spun around, before he realized who was standing there.  
  
        "Hi, Boss, what can I do for ya? It had better be quick whatever it is, there's just so much to do here! Did you know that even if I worked non-stop for eternity this ship would never be in one hundred percent working order? Even with my super genius mind, keeping this ship running is near impossible!"  
  
        "Harper, slow down. You don't need to worry about all that right now. Can you tell me why you refused to go to med-deck?"  
  
        "Can't you see?" Harper asked as he started frantically working again. "Too much work, I must get this done."  
  
        Dylan picked his jaw up off the floor before Harper noticed. Something was wrong with this picture. Harper was naturally a hyper person, but he never acted like this. Beka was right; it almost looked like the young man was on Flash. True, he hadn't known the engineer long, but this definitely wasn't like him.  
  
        "Look, Boss, I don't think med-deck is necessary. I can do my job fine, I feel fine, hell, the whole universe is one damn fine place."  
  
        "Well," Dylan was a bit lost as to how he should proceed. "Seeing as I'm Captain of this ship, and you are definitely not fine, I am ordering you to go to med-deck."  
  
        Putting down what he was working on, Harper stalked over to Dylan, invading his personal space, and his eyes flashing. "I'm getting really sick of your type, Captain. You and Beka are the same. I don't need you telling me what to do." At Dylan's shocked look, Harper continued. "Not used to people disobeying your orders are you. Get used to it, because I will not take orders from the likes of you!"  
  
        "And I will not tolerate this attitude from you, Mister Harper!" Dylan reached out and grabbed Harper's arm, intending to drag him to med- deck. He was totally unprepared for the cry of pain, and shocked look that appeared on Harper's face. Almost immediately, the younger man tried to pull away from Dylan's grip, but instead of letting go completely, Dylan used his other arm to hold Harper's wrist and used the arm that had grabbed him to hike up his shirt sleeve. Black. Harsh black bruises encircled his bicep, standing out in stark contrast against his pale skin.  
  
        "Harper, what happened?" To say Dylan was shocked was an understatement. Just by looking at the pattern formed by the bruises, it was obvious someone had grabbed him. The bruising was fresh, but the only other person he'd been in contact with was Beka, and her hands weren't near big enough to do this. Not to mention the amount of force needed would be more than Beka could create. "Who did this to you?"  
  
        Harper's face took on a hard look, his mouth set.  
  
        "Did this happen on the drift?" At Harper's silence, he continued. "Harper, I want to help you, but I can't do that if you don't tell me what happened!"  
  
        "Dylan, there is a large spatial distortion headed this way, too large for us to completely evade." Rommie's voice came over the comm system.  
  
        "Alright. I'm on my way." Dylan looked Harper in the eye. "We'll deal with this later. Right now I have an even bigger problem to deal with."  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
        The image on the screen was something Dylan had never seen before. The distortion filled the whole screen and was bright. Blindingly so. It moved like water, fluidly twisting and shifting. Blue and purple clouds of light were visible in the middle.  
  
        "The distortion will impact us in one minute, six seconds. While it contains large amounts of energy, my data tells me it will cause damage, but not enough to destroy or cripple the ship."  
  
        "Alright, brace for impact everybody!"  
  
        The crew scattered around the bridge, looking for anything secure to hold onto as the distortion impacted the Andromeda. The ship jerked violently and was tossed like a butterfly in a snowstorm. While it only lasted a few seconds, it felt like an eternity. Sparks flew from control panels, and the lights flickered, but as Rommie predicted, once the distortion passed, the ship was still functioning.  
  
        "Status!" Dylan yelled as he picked himself up off the floor. He looked around and saw everyone else doing the same.  
  
        "Engines are offline, weapons, hull integrity seventy percent, and there are many minor malfunctions ship wide," Tyr reported.  
  
        "Rommie, get Harper on it," Dylan ordered.  
  
        "Actually, he's already running a diagnostic on the ships systems."  
  
        At the mention of Harper's name, Beka glanced up from the pilots' chair and made eye contact with Dylan, her face unreadable. Dylan shared her look before walking to Rev's side to help perform an analysis on the disturbance, effectively telling her his visit with Harper had been unsuccessful.  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
        "I've almost got you fixed, after almost six hours, just one more fuse and... AH!" Harper dropped the nanowelder and cursed a blue streak that would make a Nietzschean blush after accidentally burning the sensitive skin on the back of his hand. "Son of a goddamn bitch! I almost had you working perfectly you piece of junk! Why can nothing on this damn ship cooperate!"  
  
        "Maybe if you took a break you'd be able to concentrate on what you're doing," Andromeda's hologram stated as she flashed into existence across from the engineer.  
  
        "Maybe if you'd mind your own damn business I'd get this done faster," Harper sneered.  
  
        "Harper, what has gotten into you? Ever since you got back from the supply run you've been moody and on edge. You haven't rested or eaten since you got back, and I'm detecting an elevation in all your vital signs."  
  
        "And why do you have to be so nosy! For Divine's sake quit spying on me! Engage privacy mode, run program Harper-alpha-break-alpha." Harper grinned wickedly as the hologram vanished, a look of astonishment on her face. "Lets see you get through that program, Rom-doll."  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
        Two days later, Harper's mood had not improved, but it had not gotten any better. He worked almost non-stop to repair the damage from the disturbance, but the moment anyone actually asked him to do something, he'd get angry and demand to be left alone. He didn't talk with anyone, and almost never slept or ate.  
  
        Beka had really been hurt by what Harper had said and spent her time trying to avoid him until his mood improved. She kept replaying what had happened on the Maru over in her head. She'd even gone and run a diagnostic on the system, but she only found evidence of that first power surge. She'd come to think of the little human as a younger brother. She'd never hurt him before, and most definitely had never given him a reason to think of her as a slaver. Of course she worked him hard, but no harder than she'd expect of herself or any other crew member.  
  
        Currently, she and Dylan were observing Harper from Command as he rebuilt a section of the weapons guidance system in the machine shop. He worked silently, and that's what worried the two of them. Harper always talked when working, even when he was alone.  
  
        Dylan took in all the classic signs of exhaustion in the young man. Not missing the dark smudges under his eyes, the way his clothes hung on him, and the way his hands shook.  
  
        "I'm going to send Trance in to see him. It seems as long as he's allowed to work he leaves everyone alone, but I'm not going tolerate this any longer. He's alienated every crew member. I'd like to know if there's a physiological cause for this."  
  
        "Are you sure that's wise? He's already been damn close to resorting to violence. What if he tries something with Trance?"  
  
        "I'll send Rommie with her. Being an android, she could easily over power Harper if he gets out of control."  
  
        Instead of acknowledging him, Beka continued to look at the screen, worry marring her features. "I've only known him for two years, but I've never seen him like this. This is worse than when he had the library downloaded into his brain."  
  
        "We'll figure this out, Beka."  
  
        An hour later, Trance called Dylan and Beka down to med-deck to go over her findings.  
  
        "There's nothing wrong with him."  
  
        "What? How can that be? You've seen the way he's been behaving." Dylan was almost positive Trance would find something.  
  
        Beka was just as shocked. She was angry and hurt. She had hoped there was a physical reason for this. But there wasn't. That would mean he'd meant what he had said to her, it wasn't an injury making him behave differently.  
  
        "Harper allowed me to scan him while he worked. Apart from the bruising on his arm, and the elevated norepinephrine levels, which account for his excitability, he's fine. Not only that, I can't find any physiological cause for his mood swings or memory loss. It is possible the electric shock he suffered is causing this, but there's no way to tell for sure."  
  
        "Alright, well for now we'll just keep an eye on him. If he gets any worse then we'll have to take him to a medical facility for further examination," Dylan added.  
  
        "Dylan, my external long-range sensors are still offline. Harper should have fixed them three hours ago."  
  
        Dylan groaned. It hadn't been a week since Harper's mood change, and the whole crew was starting to suffer because of it.  
  
        "Alright. I'll go speak with him and get his sorted out once and for all."  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
        Harper's body fell slack as he entered Andromeda's VR matrix, intent on fixing a power distribution problem. The long-range sensors could not be fixed until they had enough electricity to properly power them. He wasn't surprised when Andromeda didn't greet him. He didn't particularly care either. Searching through the pathways, he started to feel strange. A wave of deja vu washed over him as something pricked the back of his memory. He'd felt this before. Where? His skin started to burn, like someone had poured acid over it, and his chest tightened making breathing near impossible. He doubled over. Suddenly, his vision turned black for a moment as he felt a rush of energy leave him. He watched in awe as a black cloud of energy hovered above him before once again taking a human shape. The Maru! That's where he'd seen this before! He had to warn the others.  
  
        Before he could leave the matrix, he felt an electrical surge in the air and screamed as he felt it engulf him. He came out of the interface with a scream of pain as every nerve in his body burned. Pulling the jack out, he whispered Rommie's name, forgetting the program he'd activated earlier had ensured a permanent privacy mode in engineering, and fell into the waiting hands of unconsciousness. 


	3. Chapter 3

Alright, here's the next chapter. This story isn't turning out the way I wanted... it's harder to write Andromeda fics than I thought! Feel free to tell me what I should improve. Thanks for the feedback so far!  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
How could Harper be this irresponsible, Dylan fumed. While Harper never seemed to take things seriously, he always got the job done, even when he was sick and even dying from radiation poisoning. So what was bothering the young engineer? Dylan was really getting ticked off with the engineer's attitude, and after he was 'better', there would be some serious attitude adjusting going on. This never happened in the Highguard.  
  
Dylan entered engineering to the sound of utter silence. Immediately, his internal alarms started going off. Harper was never this quiet.  
  
"Harper? Are you in here?" Dylan picked up his pace and finally spotted the young man's body slumped against the wall. "Harper!" Dylan's chest tightened when he saw the unconscious engineer and he rushed over, kneeling beside him.  
  
"Harper? Can you hear me?" Dylan asked as his eyes and hands inspected Harper's body, looking for any injuries. Not finding anything obvious, Dylan suddenly noticed that Andromeda hadn't appeared. Shouldn't she have noticed Harper's change in vital signs?  
  
"Andromeda," Dylan called. No answer. He'd have to check that later. In the meantime he had more pressing matters. Calling for Trance to meet him in med-deck, Dylan slipped one arm under Harper's legs and the other under his shoulders, and gently lifted him to carry him to med-deck. He worriedly noted the young man felt lighter than usual.  
  
Trance met him there, as did Andromeda's hologram.  
  
"What happened?" Trance enquired as Dylan laid Harped on a bed.  
  
"I found him unconscious in engineering, no obvious injuries. Why weren't you monitoring him, Andromeda?"  
  
"He overrode my program in engineering. I couldn't."  
  
"And you didn't think this was important enough to tell me?"  
  
"It's not the first time he's done this, Dylan. He turns the program back on eventually."  
  
Dylan's anger towards Harper started to resurface. His engineer was reprogramming the ship like he owned it, and no one, not even his own ship, thought it important enough to tell him? What else weren't they telling him?  
  
"What's wrong with him, Trance?"  
  
"I'm detecting swelling around the cerebral port, and first degree burns to the tissues around it. I'd say he was electrocuted," Trance reported. "He's also got a severe contusion on the upper bicep. Other than that he's fine, and should wake up any time."  
  
Dylan looked expectantly at Andromeda. "Is there any reason my engineer was almost electrocuted to death that you'd like to tell me?"  
  
"I can't tell you anything, Dylan. I've detected no power surges, viruses, or alien intruders. Harper must have done something."  
  
"Where was Rommie? Even though he locked you out of engineering, your avatar could have been watching him."  
  
"Harper has been treating my avatar with less than civility, and threatened to dismantle her. She thought it best to give him space until his mood calmed down," Andromeda matter-of-factly stated.  
  
"You're a warship, and you're afraid of one human being?" Dylan incredulously asked.  
  
A small groan from the exam bed turned three sets of expectant eyes in the engineer's direction. Sets of eyes that wanted answers. Now.  
  
"Ow. Remind me never to piss off again whomever I just pissed off," he groused as he squinted his eyes. He brought his hand up to shield his sore eyes from the glaring overhead lights. "What happened guys?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing," Dylan coldly asked.  
  
At Dylan's harsh tone, Harper opened his eyes fully and looked at everyone's face. Not one of them seemed at all relieved he'd regained consciousness like usual, and they all mirrored Dylan's expression. "What do you mean? How could I know what happened, I just woke up."  
  
"I can see that. Your behaviour of late has been less than stellar. We've all tried talking to you, but your mood has been so far out in left field that you've threatened physical injury to more than one of your crewmates. As of now, Andromeda will be monitoring all of your movements, and you will only be allowed into the areas of the ship you are repairing. When you are not conducting repairs you are to be in your quarters until you've demonstrated some modicum of control over your mood. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
"But, what have I..."  
  
"It's a yes or no answer, Mister Harper." Dylan looked him right in the eye. Harper looked down.  
  
"Yes," he whispered.  
  
Dylan and Andromeda left together, but Trance stayed by his side, completing her examination.  
  
"Trance, what did I do? Why is everyone so mad at me?"  
  
"If you don't know the answer to that, perhaps it's best you spend your free time in your quarters contemplating that. No one is very happy with you at the moment. I've given you a mild painkiller, which will wear off in about six hours. I suggest you lie down in your quarters until if wears off." Trance turned away from him.  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
"Don't you think you were a bit harsh on him?" Andromeda asked as her and Dylan headed back up to Command.  
  
"It appears to be the only thing Harper responds to right now. I just want to give him some time to think about his actions. For now, I want you or Rommie monitoring him at all times, and I want to know about anything out of the ordinary. Understood?"  
  
"Yes." She blinked out of existence.  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
'Why is everyone treating me so badly?' Harper thought to himself. 'Even Trance.' He slowly walked down to corridor towards his quarters. He couldn't remember anything before waking up in med-deck except pain, and possibly being interfaced. And where was Beka? She was always there when he was hurt. Maybe she could explain things to him. He rounded the corner and walked straight into Rommie.  
  
"Hey, Rom-doll, how are things?" Harper asked, trying to sound cheerful and hoping she was on his side.  
  
"Where are you going, Harper? You missed the turn to your quarters." She crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"I thought I might go and see Beka. She can..." He was rudely interrupted by the android.  
  
"You've said enough to Beka, believe me you're better off giving her some space."  
  
"Please Rommie, you don't understand. I need to speak with her," Harper pleaded.  
  
"And you obviously don't understand. Dylan ordered you to your quarters or to repair the ship. Engineering is the other way. And based on the fact your respirations and heart rate are slower than normal, Trance probably gave you a painkiller. Therefore you are in no condition to conduct repairs. I'll escort you to your quarters." She indicated with her arm for him to precede her down the corridor.  
  
"I don't understand what I've done! No one will let me tell my side of things!"  
  
"Harper, Dylan will talk with you tomorrow. He just needs some time to think things through. You should do the same."  
  
Arriving at his quarters, Harper gave her one last pleading look before the doors slid shut.  
  
Two hours later, Harper decided it was time he found out what the hell was going on. He felt like he was trapped in some sort of surreal nightmare where no matter what you did, everyone conspired against you. Almost like trying to run but not being able to move no matter how hard you try. It was time he talked to Beka. She was with him on the Maru, and could tell him what happened after he blacked out.  
  
He slipped into the hallway and ran to the nearest access panel. He quickly configured Andromeda's internal sensors into believing he was still in the room, then he headed for Beka's quarters. Upon arriving, he rang the bell, and was relieved when Beka called for him to come in. She probably hadn't checked who it was before opening the door.  
  
"Beka?"  
  
Her face transformed immediately from one of surprise to anger, then settled on a cold indifference. "What do you want?"  
  
"I thought we could talk."  
  
"And by that do you mean 'talk' or you yelling some more." Beka was sitting on her couch and was making no move to get up.  
  
"I... I don't know what I've done to upset you..."  
  
"You what?! Forgotten so soon? What you said hurt, Harper. I've given you everything. I got you off Earth, gave you a job, food, a place to stay, and all I asked for in exchange was for you to take care of my ship. How do you repay me? By calling me a slaver! Do you know how that made me feel? That you're equating me with those Drago-Kazov monsters? I want you out, Harper." Beka stood and stepped towards him.  
  
"But, I don't remember any of that! Why won't you believe me?" Harper was getting desperate. It seemed everyone was intent on tormenting him.  
  
"Excuses are all you're able to come up with, once again. Get out."  
  
Feeling his eyes starting to tear, he backed out of the room, and then ran down to engineering. At least there no one would bother him. Not that anyone would want to come near him by the looks of things.  
  
A few minutes earlier.  
  
Rommie made her way to Command after having assisted Tyr with some of the repairs Harper was supposed to have handled. His behaviour bothered her, but she knew something wasn't right. The Harper they'd had to put up with for the past few days was horrid, but now it was almost like he'd returned to normal, and no one had given him the time of day. Between his comments to her and Beka, and his actions with Andromeda, and the fact Dylan had reacted so powerfully to finding out Harper had messed with her programming, had biased everyone against him by the time he finally pulled it together.  
  
She decided it was time to have a talk with her engineer. She turned and headed back to Harper's quarters, her sensors telling her he was there, when she started to feel weak. Her limbs started to feel heavy like someone had turned up the gravity. She suddenly found herself paralysed, unable to even send a message, and she found she was also cut off from the ship. Her last thought before losing power was that there was no way Harper would have gone this far. 


	4. Chapter 4

Alright, here's part 4 (finally). I'll be away in British Columbia for 10 days, so no updates until I get back. On the bright side, I have a 4 hour flight out, so lots of time to write! Thanks for the updates, the more I get the more I write!  
  
XxXxXxXx  
  
"Dylan, I've just lost all contact with my avatar. She was on Deck 19 coming back up here when she suddenly disappeared," Andromeda reported.  
  
"Damn it! Where's Harper?" Dylan yelled.  
  
"In his quarters. Wait. I'm detecting a disruption in the data stream. Repairing." There was a pause as her eyes closed and she concentrated on fixing the problem. "Someone has reprogrammed my internal sensors and tricked them into telling me Harper was in his quarters. He's currently in engineering."  
  
"Dylan," Tyr's voice came over the comm. system. "I've just found the android lying in the corridor. She doesn't appear damaged in any way, but is unresponsive."  
  
"Tyr, head to engineering and bring me Harper," Dylan ordered.  
  
"You don't think he did this, do you?" Andromeda inquired.  
  
"I really don't know. His behaviour's been all over the place and this morning I would have said yes, but after I found him unconscious he appeared to be over it."  
  
"Dylan, I'm reading a massive power drain. The external sensors and weapons targeting systems have gone off-line. I can't find the source of the drain."  
  
"Can anything else go wrong today?"  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
Tyr entered engineering, intent on finding his target. "Boy! Where are you hiding? And what have you done to the ship?" No response. "Don't think you can hide from me. I can smell you."  
  
"I take it you've come to yell at me for something as well?" Harper couldn't stop his insecurities from showing in his voice. He'd thought he'd finally found a place where he belonged, but it all seemed to be going wrong.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. Dylan will be doing the yelling. If I find you before you volunteer yourself, you won't like it. Something is draining power from this ship. We are all in danger, and I will not allow you to jeopardize my life any further by hiding like some animal."  
  
With a deep sigh, Harper stepped into view and looked at Tyr. The larger man was slightly taken aback by the engineer's appearance. He'd been ignoring the little human more than normal because of his mood, and hadn't seen him in the past few days. He was pale, he'd lost weight, and there was a slight tremor in his hands. Wordlessly, Harper followed him out of engineering and up to Command, where a very impatient and pissed off Dylan waited.  
  
"What the hell have you done to my ship? And why, once again, did you have the overwhelming urge to reprogram Andromeda's internal sensors?"  
  
Harper looked at Dylan's face. "I didn't do anything to the ship."  
  
"Is there any reason I should believe you?"  
  
"Alright, who's the idiot that turned up the AG field in my quarters?! I had to crawl into the corridor!" an enraged Beka yelled as she stormed into Command. She glared at Harper.  
  
"It wasn't me, Boss. Honest! You have to believe me! Just listen, I don't know what's going on, and I don't remember anything between leaving Winnipeg Drift and waking up on Med-deck. All I remember is interfacing with the Maru to fix the slipstream drive, then it all goes dark. I don't even know where this bruise came from!" He pulled up his sleeve to expose the contusion on his arm. Beka, who hadn't seen the bruise, was shocked into momentary silence.  
  
"That wasn't there before," Beka whispered, started to feel a twisting in her gut. Who had hurt Harper, and how had she missed it? Something was terribly wrong, and she got the feeling it was with her, not Harper.  
  
"See what I mean, Boss? It's like my memory's been blocked or something!"  
  
"Well that doesn't explain what's happening to my ship!" Alarm after alarm was going off, indicating malfunctions in many systems, although none life-threatening.  
  
"With all these malfunctions, it must be a virus or something." Harper's eyes looked inwards as he considered all the possibilities. "It's the only thing that makes sense."  
  
"My logs indicate these malfunctions, some undetectable, all started occurring after Harper and Beka's return, and originated in engineering."  
  
"And I found Harper unconscious in engineering for no explainable reason. He'd been interfacing too. The jack was still hooked up to the panel." Dylan also started to put things together.  
  
"Twice Harper has interfaced, and twice he's wound up unconscious," Andromeda stated. "Is it possible your port is malfunctioning?"  
  
"No. I take care of it. Not to mention, these things almost never have problems."  
  
"Dylan," Andromeda cut in. "Life support on decks 20 through 31 has just failed."  
  
"Harper, are you sure it's a virus? Andromeda hasn't been able to detect any."  
  
"Well, seeing as technology is constantly changing, and this ship is over 300 years old, I wouldn't be surprised if there were hundreds of viruses out there she can't detect. No offense Rom-doll."  
  
"Wait, you guys," Beka interrupted, confusion showing on her face. "So there's a virus. Where did it come from, and what about Harper's weird behaviour? You keep saying you don't remember what happened after the Maru."  
  
"I don't. I interfaced, then it all goes dark and I found myself waking up on med-deck with everyone mad at me."  
  
"Might I suggest you focus on the matter at hand? Two more systems have gone off-line," Tyr interrupted, visions of floating through space on a derelict ship entering his mind.  
  
Unanimously agreeing, Harper grabbed Beka as his assistant and headed off to fix the failing life support systems. Tyr worked on diverting energy from nonessential systems to the more important ones, and Dylan went to fix the weapons system. They were extremely vulnerable and no one could say what sort of ships could be lurking out there.  
  
Three hours later, life support, weapons, and external sensors had been repaired, but that didn't stop other systems from going off-line, or just malfunctioning. Steam would be vented into the halls, the water faucets would go on and off, and the lights only worked when they wanted to.  
  
Harper and Beka walked side by side as they headed back up to Command where Dylan wanted a full briefing on what was happening. The engineer had run a diagnostic, but came up empty handed. He really didn't want to have to say that to Dylan.  
  
"Beka, it sounds like I owe you an apology. I don't know what for, but I should. Could you tell me what I'm apologizing for?"  
  
Beka couldn't help but smile. Harper was back. "Lets just say you got mouthier than a Nightsider on Flash, Sparky and chocolate." Beka didn't think Harper needed the details. He had too much to think about at the moment.  
  
"That bad, huh?"  
  
"And more." She slung an arm around his shoulders.  
  
"Ya know, I was thinking. None of this makes much sense. If it's a virus, where did it come from, and what set it off? While we were on the drift I had, uh, relations with this babe who had this, how should I put it. Fascination with my port?"  
  
"Ew, Harper. Too much information." Beka made a face at him and immediately removed her arm.  
  
"What if she infected my port? Yeah, a tiny electrical discharge is hardly noticeable if other, things, are going on," Harper blushed.  
  
Beka laughed out loud. Harper could be paranoid, sure. But this? At his look she incredulously exclaimed, "You're serious?"  
  
"Yeah. Interfacing could be it's trigger. When I interfaced with the Maru it activated, which could have caused my mood change and memory blackout, I mean the port does directly access my brain, so who's to say a program couldn't be introduced that would influence it? And then when I interfaced with Andromeda it left me and entered the ship. Yes! Who's the genius?" Harper couldn't wait to tell Dylan now.  
  
"So how are you going to fix it?"  
  
"Well, I'm going to have to interface."  
  
XxXxXxXxXx  
  
"You're kidding, right?" Dylan exclaimed, shocked. "Interfacing has caused this problem, and if you will recall, caused this virus to basically control your body. Who knows what will happen next?"  
  
Harper shrugged. He did have a point. "Well, unless you want Rommie to sit in the machine shop and collect dust until I can find a way around the virus, or for Trance to sit locked in Obs deck, then no, I don't have to interface."  
  
"Can't you forget your sarcasm for one minute, boy? Dylan's right. What if you further damage the ship," Tyr added.  
  
"I think I can help with that. I'll meet Harper inside the matrix and at any sign of trouble I will eject him from it."  
  
"Gee, thanks," Harper sarcastically added. That was just a polite way of saying she'd electrocute him.  
  
"Harper, are you up to this?" Dylan critically looked at Harper. It was amazing he was still on his feet. Almost a week of not eating properly or sleeping was taking it's toll. Not to mention the emotional strain of all this.  
  
"I can handle it, Boss." 


	5. Chapter 5

I finally have the next part done, and I think it's the best of all of them. It's a bit slow, but the action comes soon. Looks like all I have to do to get reviews is not update for a long time! Don't worry, I won't get any ideas!  
  
For those who asked, I was in BC visiting family and picking up a puppy. My aunt breeds German Shepherds, and because my current Sheppy is getting old, she gave us a puppy for free. That is the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and if anyone gets the chance, go. I'm thinking of moving to North Vancouver when I'm done school! All those forest fires are a shame, though.  
  
XxXxXxXx  
  
Harper felt himself falling, and tried to relax into the familiar feeling. It only lasted a few seconds, and then he felt his virtual self materialize in the matrix. This activity always brought him joy. Except now. He couldn't help but feel trepidation. Every time he went into the matrix, something went wrong. What could it be next?  
  
"Harper!" Andromeda's sharp voice cut through his reverie. "We have work to do, let's go!"  
  
"Coming, coming. Don't get your data stream in a knot." He felt a small triumph when she gave him a withering look and ignored him. "So, any thoughts on where this thing might be? I don't have a lot of time to spend looking for it. Neither do you, if you catch my drift."  
  
"Let's go to the central mainframe. Whatever this is, it's accessed all main systems, so it needs to be somewhere that access can be easily gained to those systems."  
  
When they materialized there, Harper knew immediately something was off. Instead of the data streams moving in every direction, a large section of them all went off to the far corner, where a large black mass pulsed. "Well there's something you don't see every day," Harper mumbled.  
  
"I'd say. This is where all the power's going, and it appears it is growing."  
  
"I'm gonna try and read it's programming, see what I can learn. Watch my back."  
  
He inched towards it, careful not to get too close for fear he'd get sucked in too. When he was two feet from it, he reached out and started tapping the streams surrounding it, looking for any information. Accessing it was easy. Almost too easy, he thought.  
  
"Wow, look at this. For as advanced as this technology is, there is nothing here to protect it! Looks like the genius who built it really wasn't a genius after all."  
  
"Don't get too excited, Harper. Maybe it doesn't need built in protection because it can protect itself."  
  
"Don't be silly. It's just a highly advanced program. It can't defend itself from everything out there." Moments later, Harper wished he'd kept his mouth shut as the black mass started to change shape again, and resemble a familiar figure. "Oh crap. I think that's our cue to leave!"  
  
The figure reached out at him, and narrowly missed as Andromeda grabbed his wrist and yanked him back. Together, they made a hasty exit.  
  
Harper felt himself jolted back into his body, and managed to yank the jack from his port seconds before it emitted a shower of sparks. With a gasp, he gave a knowing smile that said 'I know something you don't'.  
  
"Well, Dylan, there is one hell of a mess in there. I managed to put a firewall around it before it tried to attack me, so for the moment, there shouldn't be any more problems. I was also able to read the programming, and there is some serious shit going on with this thing."  
  
"How do you mean?" Dylan asked.  
  
"Okay. Lets say you wanted to steal someone's ship, but you didn't want to risk your own life doing it. How would you do it?"  
  
"Uh, send someone else," Beka stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Yeah, or something else." At the puzzled looks, Harper continued. "This virus is draining all the power it can from the ship. It's been designed to drain from life support, sensors and weapons, then the secondary systems. At the same time, it's transmitting a signal, like a homing beacon."  
  
"Of course. Disable the ship, kill the crew, then come and take it. Someone has gone through a lot of trouble to design something like this," Tyr contributed.  
  
"And there's more."  
  
Dylan groaned.  
  
"I wouldn't describe it as sentient, but when it infects the host, or carrier, namely me, the program is influenced by said person's brain waves. Trance couldn't detect it because it mimicked my brain waves, and it changed my personality because it picked up on my subconscious thoughts and brought them to the surface."  
  
"That's why it also started to look like you in the matrix as well."  
  
"Bingo. I'd sure like to meet the guy who designed this."  
  
"You will unless we can get rid of it."  
  
"About that. I can't stay with it too long in the matrix before it notices me. I'm going to have to run computer sims to find something that will work quickly before I go back in."  
  
"How long will the ship be safe for?"  
  
"It's hard to say. A few hours at least, unless the designer is already on his way after picking up the beacon. But with a ship this size, he'd know it would take days to fully drain power."  
  
"Tyr and I will monitor things from here. I want you to go get a shower and something to eat. You look like hell," Dylan commented.  
  
"I'm fine. I need to get this..."  
  
"Now," the Captain ordered.  
  
"I'll just have a Sparky. Really..."  
  
"The Captain means food, Harper. My sensors show you have lost 7.3 pounds in the past week. Anymore and Trance will be feeding you through a tube," Andromeda threatened.  
  
"Alright, alright." Harper put his hands up in mock surrender. "I'll eat. Just let me..."  
  
"No!" everyone yelled in unison.  
  
"Sheesh. I was just gonna release Trance from Obs deck and turn Rommie back on. Relax." When he was done, Beka looped her arm through his and started half pulling, half leading him from Command.  
  
"Come on, skinny. Let's go see what we can find."  
  
"Geez, what's with the slave driver routines?" When he felt Beka tense, he knew it had been the wrong thing to say. She pulled away and turned to face him.  
  
"What did you say?" There was anger in her voice, and a hint of fear. What if they had made a mistake letting him interface again? This was different, though. He didn't have a look of malice on his face. In fact, he looked as shocked as she did.  
  
"Whoops. Did I just say that out loud?" Beka continued to look hard at him. "I'm sorry, Beka. I really didn't mean anything by that. Honest." She couldn't hate him again.  
  
She looked at him for a few more seconds before stepping closer. "Is that what you really see us as? Slave drivers?" she asked sadly.  
  
"No! You know I'd never say something like that, right?"  
  
"But you did, Harper. And it really hurt. You said horrible things to everyone."  
  
"I wasn't myself. I really didn't mean it. I know how slavers operate first hand, and I know that I'm the only engineer on this ship, but sometimes it feels like I have no control over things. That for once I'd like to do something I want, and not have everyone bossing me around when something breaks down. But I also know that meeting you, and getting a job here on Andromeda are the best things that have ever happened to me. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that."  
  
"I know. Come on, I think I saw Tyr hiding a plate of beef in the refrigeration unit. Then maybe after that I can convince you to take a shower."  
  
"I don't think so, Boss. Too much to do."  
  
"Harper, you stink," Beka stated, wrinkling her nose. "I didn't want to say anything earlier, but a Nightsider smells better than you."  
  
"Oh yeah, lay it on. How come no one else has said anything?"  
  
"Because they're being polite, and thankfully I don't have any olfactory sensors," Rommie put in, coming up behind them.  
  
"Hey Rom-doll! Come to witness the Harper work computer magic?" At a look from Beka, he added, "After I eat and shower?"  
  
"Dylan wants me to help you, actually. I might be 'antiquated' as you implied previously, but that doesn't mean I can't be useful."  
  
Three hours later Harper and Rommie were still working, and Beka had run off to get him a Sparky Cola. When sleep was hard to come by, Sparky did the trick. He tried unsuccessfully to stifle another vicious yawn.  
  
"Harper, has anyone talked to you about your previous behaviour yet?" Rommie inquired.  
  
"Oh just Beka, Trance, even Tyr. Although he doesn't really need to talk, ya know? Those looks, sheesh. You'd think I was an axe murderer or something," Harper complained.  
  
"You threatened to dismantle me. With a nanowelder."  
  
Harper looked crestfallen. "Oh. I guess there is a parallel there. Me and my big mouth."  
  
"Dylan's upset with you for all the reprogramming you do without his permission. He's worried that one of these days you're going to put the ship and crew in danger."  
  
Harper growled as the computer beeped incessantly at him again. "Look, I'd never do anything to endanger you guys. You're my family."  
  
"I know that, Harper. It's Dylan you need to convince. He's only known you a short time, and he's already been betrayed by someone he trusted with his life. Just don't do it again. Alright?" No answer. "Alright, Harper?" She turned to look at him. He had a brilliant smile on his face.  
  
"I got it Rommie!" 


	6. Chapter 6

If anyone's still reading, sorry this too so long! I wrote myself into a bit of a corner. I am very technologically illiterate, and then I realized I'd have to have a way for Harper to defeat this highly advanced piece of technology! I hope to have this done by the time school starts. Thanks for the feedback you guys!

XxXxXxXxXx

"Tell me why I thought this was a good idea?" Andromeda bemoaned as she took in her appearance again. As per Harper's request, she'd made her holographic self a mirror image of Harper in the matrix.

"Because if this works, you'll be the healthiest warship in the three galaxies," Harper answered her voice as he stood on Command, preparing the join Andromeda in the matrix.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Harper?" Beka inquired.

"No. But it's my only idea. Trust in the Harper, it's all good." He was trying to alleviate her fear, but it wasn't working. "You remember what I asked you to do?" He hooked the jack up to the panel on the wall.

"Yeah. After thirteen minutes, I'm to initiate a massive power surge directed at the pathway you're about to build. And at the first sign of trouble pull you out."

"So you were paying attention. See ya on the flipside." The engineer sat on the floor and plugged in. The matrix grabbed him and he was enveloped in that familiar feeling of falling and weighlessness. It felt like forever, but seconds later he materialized next to Andromeda. Or rather, 'himself'. "If I might say, you look..."

"Don't say it, Harper," she ordered, shooting daggers with her eyes. 'I'm never going to hear the end of this,' she thought. "The entity is still in the same position, and it hasn't grown due to the firewall. The circuit you need to access is located directly behind it. How are you going to get to it?"

"That's what you're here for. You are my distraction. With any luck, that dark lump over there won't be able to tell the difference between the two of us."

XxXxXxXxXx

"Dylan! We've got incoming!" Trance yelled, panicked. This ship, while it was small, was highly armed and manouevreable. Seconds later, the Andromeda was rocked as it was hit with missile fire. Sparks flew, and the crew all grabbed onto the nearest structure for support.

"Load missile tubes one through thirty and return fire!" Dylan ran over to the nearest console, trying to find out who this was, although he already had a good idea.

The sleek gold ship powered up and started coming in for another run. Beka veered hard to port while at the same time Tyr fired the missiles at it. The explosions could be felt shipwide as the missiles impacted with the hostile ship, but it wasn't enough. The ship once again appeared on the main viewscreen, but this time instead of hurtling towards them, it slowed to a stop, slightly right of centre.

XxXxXxXxXx

Harper had inched forwards toward the black mass, and was within arms reach of the circuit. Taking a deep breath, he reached his hand forwards. Closer, closer, boom! He was thrown from the entity and some of the datastreams fizzled as the ship was hit with the missiles.

"Harper!" Andromeda yelled, not realizing she'd just alerted the entity to Harper's presence. "Are you alright?"

Shaking the fogginess from his mind, he stood up and was just glad that in the matrix, it was hard to physically hurt oneself. "I'm fine. Someone sure has the lousiest timing. What was that?"

"The ship is under attack. I'm only reading one enemy ship, although it's armament is comparable to mine. I suggest we leave until he's gone. Any number of things could happen while we're under attack."

"Just give me one more minute. I hope Beka's ready."

XxXxXxXxXx

"What is he doing?" Trance innocently asked. The ship hadn't moved at all in the past minute, and wasn't responding to hails.

"He's waiting. Sizing us up. Obviously this moron has made a large error in judgement and is formulating a new plan," Tyr added. "He's made it clear he's not worthy of the space he's occupying. Lets just blow him up."

"I don't think he's that much of a threat. He was expecting us to be completely drained of power. He doesn't want to fight, that's why he built the virus. To avoid this."

"You left out the part about him also expecting us to be dead. Whoever designed this virus is a formidable opponent and should be eliminated."

"Dylan? I didn't want to say this at first, I mean I thought the sensors were broken again, but then again..."

"Just spit it out, girl," Tyr prodded, annoyed.

"Well, at first I wasn't reading any lifesigns on the ship, and when I looked further I saw that there really isn't a ship there at all. It's not real."

"What?" The three other people on Command exclaimed at once.

"Those missile hits were real enough."

"Actually, they weren't. We were damaged, but it was from inside. Explosions caused by the virus. Look." Trance cut the power to the main screen, and the image of the ship faded away as the electricity drained. Nothing remained but the stars. "He wasn't emitting an energy signature or anything."

"Maybe this guys plot is to drive us all insane," Tyr complained.

"Andromeda? How's Harper doing?" Dylan asked.

Her computer image popped into existence on the screen. "He is almost ready for you to initiate the overload, Beka."

"All he has to do is give the word."

Moments later, Beka sent all available power through the conduit Harper had built, causing a momentary loss of lighting, and the computers to shut down. Time stretched on, but eventually the eerie silence caused by the power loss was replaced by everything booting up again. Unlike before, when Harper emerged from the matrix, he had a huge grin on his face.

"Oh yeah, who's good." He jumped up, pulled out the jack and started rambling like mad and gesturing wildly. "It was amazing! I was actually surprised it worked! I mean, sometimes the most high tech problems require the most low tech solutions!"

"So the virus is gone?"

"You said it! That mother burned to a crisp and disintegrated! Gives new meaning to the phrase 'ashes to ashes'."

"Just like that?" Dylan was feeling very unsure about things. Problems were never solved this easily. "Is there a 'but' to this, Mister Harper?"

The engineers smile faded a bit. "I thought I'd soften you guys up a bit first." Recieving imploring looks from everyone, he continued. "Before it went kaboom, it sent one last transmission. Most likely to its creator. We should be expecting company soon."

"I should have seen that coming," Tyr growled. "What makes you so sure the message was an invitation to this 'creator'?"

"Because once I deciphered the highly coded binary sequence, it said something resembling, 'I'm over here. Come and get me.'"

"Alright people, it looks like we'd better shape up. There's company coming."


	7. Chapter 7

Angst Alert! I thought it was time for some good old fashioned angst. There is also a swear word, and some disturbing imagery, depending on how sensitive you are. Also, remember this is first season, so Dylan's a bit of a jerk.  
  
Don't forget the feedback! Thirty seconds of your time makes my day!

XxXxXxXx

She came towards him, obscured by shadows. As she approached, she walked into the light, revealing her slowly; starting at her feet and moving upwards until she was inches from him and in full view. He lost his breath when he saw her face. Blood and other gore spattered her face and hair. Her clothes were ripped, and her eyes dead. She glared at him. It felt like she was looking straight through him.

"You did this." Three simple words, stated with enough menace to make Tyr step back. They were enough to crush his heart. They seemed to carry on forever in the silence.

"No," he begged. "I didn't know! I tried to help!"

"Tried. And failed. They're all dead because of you. All you could think about was finding some backwater whore to satisfy your constant uncontrollable urges. Look."

Images started appearing before his eyes. Dylan, lying dead on the Command Deck with a pool of blood surrounding his head. Tyr, shot to death in the corridor. Rev and Trance lying dead among the flowers in Obs deck; their cloudy eyes staring at nothing. And Rommie, dismantled in his machine shop.

"I didn't know! I'm so sorry!" he yelled at Beka. He tried to get away from her, but it felt like someone had paralyzed his legs.

"It's your fault, Harper. Your fault." Her words and the images started to overlap, moving faster and faster until they blurred together. "Your fault!"

"Noooo!" The scream tore from his throat, and he jumped bolt upright in bed. Gulping air, he looked wildly around the room. No Beka, bodies or horrible words taunting him. As his breathing slowed he started to feel the warm tears flowing down his cheeks. He was in quarters, and grateful he'd engaged privacy mode. He'd had a feeling the nightmares would visit him tonight. With everything that had happened, he hadn't had a chance to deal with anything yet. It was all sneaking up on him now.

He knew what he had to do to make them stop. He'd go see the one person who'd always listened to his dreams and comforted him after. Wiping his eyes, he hopped off his bed and quietly made his way to Beka's quarters.

XxXxXxXx

"Whoever you are, you'd better have a damn good reason for waking me at two thirty in the morning," Beka growled as she drug herself out of bed and stalked to the door. It swished open to reveal a rumpled looking and puffy eyed engineer.

"Harper!" To say she was shocked was an understatement. He hadn't shown up on her doorstep in a while. It was always about the same thing, though. Ever since she'd brought him aboard the Maru he'd had terrifying nightmares. He'd deny their existence but being on such a small ship, she'd always heard his screams. It wasn't until one night where he had woken up thrashing so violently he'd broken his wrist that he started to realized he needed help. Slowly, he started to relax enough around her to start sharing the demons that plagued his sleep. They started to taper off, but any new trauma always brought new ones to the surface. Not needing to speak, she pulled him into her quarters and led him to the bed. She got him a glass of water and sat next to him. She scanned him for injuries, but didn't see any.

"I'm sorry to bother you like this, but..."

"No, Harper. I don't want to hear apologies, understand? I promised I'd always be here for you." She slung her arm around his shoulders.

"It was all my fault," he started. "Everyone was dead. Everyone but you. And you kept saying I did it, and I saw them all, and..."

His words were all running together. "Harper, slow down. Want to start from the beginning?"

"The whole crew was dead because of what I did. I tried to tell you I didn't know, but you said if I wasn't always thinking about things I want, then I wouldn't have done it. I didn't know that girl was carrying that virus. I was just looking for a little fun."

Beka felt her composure slip slightly. "Oh Seamus," she breathed. "We don't blame you. No one does. You couldn't have known. What's important is that we're all still alive thanks to you." She pulled him into a tight embrace, and was dismayed to feel his ribs pressed up against her side. Everyone had been so wrapped up in saving the ship from the virus they hadn't noticed Harper's deteriorating physical condition.

Sure Harper had been through a lot, and on the outside appeared to be an energetic young man who could handle anything life threw at him, but Beka knew better. On the inside he was the most insecure person she'd ever met. Of course he wouldn't just 'get over' almost destroying the ship.

"I don't think Dylan's very happy with me. What if he kicks us off his ship?"

"Dylan's just being Dylan. He's under a lot of stress right now. I don't want you to worry about that, alright? I'll have a talk with him."

"Thanks, Boss," Harper said, still a bit shaky.

"No problem, kiddo. Do you think you'll be alright if you went back to your quarters? Unfortunately, time doesn't stop because you need to take a breather. Dylan wants us ready when the virus's creator shows up."

"I think so. At least on the bright side I got into your bed," he joked.

Beka gave him a light whack upside the head. "Off to bed with ya. Tomorrow morning you and I have an appointment in the mess hall. We can eat whatever you want. Deal?"

"You got it, Boss." Feeling slightly better, Harper made his way back to his quarters. Not quite ready to attempt sleep again, he started compiling a list of everything he'd need to repair.

XxXxXxXx

At precisely 0700 hours, Beka marched into the mess hall to find her target at the table, indulging in a cup of coffee. He glanced up, slightly taken aback at her abrupt entrance.

"I want you to promise that whatever happens to this ship or us once Mister Mysterious shows up you will not punish or blame Harper in any way."

"Good morning to you too. Coffee?" he offered, like he hadn't noticed her mood.

"Okay. You did hear me, right?" Some people she just wasn't sure about.

"I heard you fine. I don't go around arbitrarily punishing crew members or blaming them for things out of their control. But understand that I will not hesitate to discipline any crew member should the situation call for it."

"And does Harper's situation?"

"Does his situation what?"

"Call for it," Beka ground out. "Do you blame Harper for almost killing us, almost destroying your ship, and bringing about yet another goon with guns looking for a fight?"

"I expect accountability, Beka. Harper was careless on Winnipeg Drift, and with his reprogramming of my ship. He's part of a crew now and needs to understand that his actions have consequences past himself."

"Part of a crew now?!" Beka steamed. "He was part of a crew, my crew, long before you came into the picture." Beka noticed Dylan's face hardening, and took a seat across from him. Calming herself, she took a different approach. "You don't know Harper very well, or any of us for that matter. I'm not going to betray his trust in me, but you need to understand that he's had a rough life and this is the best thing he's ever had. He would never intentionally do anything to ruin that. Knowing that you blame him for something he feels is out of his control would destroy him. All I ask is that you let me handle this."

Dylan seemed to think things over before answering. "I understand your concerns. Really, I do. And I have noticed Harper's tendency towards being insecure. I'm not going to do anything to hurt him." Before Dylan could finish his thought, the ship jolted to the side, knocking the coffee onto the floor.

"Andromeda, report!" He and Beka made their way to Command.

"We've hit a spatial disturbance. It's passed now, but my sensors were unable to detect anything prior to impact."

"Are they functioning properly?"

"Yes. I've run a self-diagnostic and they're functioning at one hundred percent."

A sudden realization hit Beka as they entered Command. "Dylan, the same thing happened on the Maru. We hit a gravitational disturbance, but couldn't find anything on sensors. That was right before Harper interfaced to activate the virus."

"You don't think they're related, do you?"

"I'm not sure, but the chances of this happening twice, to the same people in a different area of space seems pretty far fetched. Don't you think?"

"Dylan, I think I have something you should see," Tyr calmly announced.


	8. Chapter 8

I finally got the next part done, it's long! I spent the past two weeks dreaming up a cool way to confront the enemy, and days later I see almost the same thing on Andromeda! So, I promise I didn't copy it! Also, special thanks to gotmilk, who pointed me in the right direction.  
  
Thanks for all the feedback guys!

"What is it?" Dylan and Beka made their way over to Tyr as the doors to Command swished open and Harper flew in, followed by Rommie.

"What's going on guys? He's not here is he?" Harper apprehensively asked, his eyes skirting to the view screen.

"No," Dylan stated.

"Yes." All eyes flew to Tyr.

"Say what? Tyr, I may not be a Nietzschean, but my eyes are perfectly fine. There's nothing out there."

"It's there alright, just not visible." The crew looked nonplussed as Tyr paused before elaborating. "Just as we were hit by that disturbance, I saw a fluctuation in the radiation and antiproton levels that shouldn't have been there unless there is a ship nearby. That disturbance was gravitational though. The kind of gravity given off by a slipstream drive. In very close proximity."

"Hey, cool!" Harper exclaimed. "Kind of like the wake given off by a boat."

Tyr rolled his eyes. "Essentially, yes."

"So how do we find a ship we can't see, and have to be within metres to feel?"

"Electromagnetism. So simple yet so useful. If I were to initiate an EMP, or electromagnetic pulse, all electrical equipment shorts out, so if this guys disappearing act is the result of some highly advanced piece of technology, it'll be kaput for at least a few hours."

"Provided it''s not shielded."

"It's worth a shot," Rommie put in.

"Do it. Tyr, ready weapons so we can get him before he disappears again. But do not destroy the ship, understand? I want to know who this is." He looked directly at Tyr as he said this, wanting to get his point across. Tyr nodded his understanding, he too wanting to know who had done this.

Dylan glanced over at Harper, remembering his earlier talk with Beka. The young man was too engrossed in his work to notice the concerned look that flitted across the Captain's face. Here he was, the tough High Guard officer, and he was already starting to become attached to this rag tag crew. True, Harper had done some irresponsible things, but disciplining him for something like reprogramming the computers would pale in comparison to what he's currently going through.

"Here goes nothing." Moments later a massive burst of energy shot forth from the ship, saturating the immediate area in an electromagnetic field. The crew was tense, each hoping this would work for their own reasons. Moments later, a loud whoop emanated from Harper, earning him a very annoyed glare from Tyr. "It worked! We got you! Not so good anymore are you?"

A large gray ship fizzled into existence on the view screen. While it was not nearly as large as the Andromeda, it was sleek looking and had a formidable armament. It could do some serious damage to Andromeda if provoked.

"I'm receiving a transmission from the ship." Andromeda's face appeared on the second view screen.

"Well, lets hear what our new friend has to say."

The face that appeared was nothing like what they were expecting. A weathered-looking old man appeared on the screen. His long gray hair and beard masking most of his wrinkled skin. His eyes were the most striking. The black orbs seemed to look into Dylan's soul. He felt an indescribable coldness seeping into his bones. He was mesmerized, unable to tear his gaze away. The hatred almost stopping his heart.

"Holy freaking calimelons! We've been had by Santa Clause." Harper said, just loud enough to be heard. He too was unable to look away, his breath catching in his throat. Those were the eyes that he saw each night in his sleep since that fateful interface.

Harper's mumbled comment brought Dylan back to reality. "I'm Captain Dylan Hunt of the-"

"I know who you are, and I don't care," the man sneered. His gravelly voice only adding to his menacing persona. "Your crew member has committed a blasphemous act which will not go unpunished."

"Whatever it is he did -" the Captain started.

"Don't." The single, almost growled syllable silenced the crew. "Your crew member has that disgusting work of the devil in his body." The man spat each word, as though they left a horrible taste in his mouth. "Anyone who does such things to themselves are unnatural and must be terminated."

"I understand that your culture has different beliefs than we do, but that doesn't mean he is also subject to your laws."

"Your man not only came onto a drift partially owned by my government, but tried to engage one of my citizens, and associates, no less, in a sexual relationship."

Beka was getting really pissed off with people that strutted around like their beliefs were the only right ones, and that everyone else was subject to them. "So it was your 'associate' that put that virus into Harper's port, wasn't it," she grated out.

He leaned closer to the view screen, focusing solely on Harper. "Yes. Did you enjoy it?" he growled.

Harper's mouth went dry. Before he worked up the courage to respond, Beka interrupted. She'd seen Harper's reaction and wasn't about to let this bully tear her friend apart. He'd been through enough.

"Ya know, for someone claiming using technology to enhance your body is so evil, you sure have some pretty high tech toys."

"I don't answer to you. Smile, I'm about to light you up like the fires of hell." He abruptly cut the transmission.

"He's preparing to fire," Rommie reported.

"Tyr! Load missile tubes one through forty! Beka! Evasive maneuvers! Andromeda, what kind of weaponry are we dealing with?" Dylan yelled as he manned his station.

"He's only armed with missiles and AP cannons, but he's carrying a large armament."

Harper showed immediate relief on his face. "Huh, well that's not so bad."

"Brace for impact!" Tyr yelled, after not being able to shoot down one of the many incoming missiles.

The ship jerked, throwing Harper and Trance to the ground, while the other members of the crew gripped the nearest consoles. Sparks flew, filling the deck with a thick gray smoke, and the lights flashed before finding the power to remain on, and paneling fell from the ceiling, narrowly missing Beka's head.It was minutes before everyone regained their senses.

"Hull breaches on decks 19 through 22, life support down to ninety percent, and we've lost control of missile tubes thirteen through thirty."

"That was a lot more than your friendly neighbourhood missile," Harper nervously added. No one could miss the fear in his voice.

"He's right," Trance added, with only a waver in her voice. "The missiles are tipped with cesarium, a highly radioactive element. It increases the firepower of each missile five fold."

"We've underestimated him." Underestimating an opponent was something Tyr Anasazi almost never did, as it lead to mistakes and possible death. This man's appearance was most definitely deceiving.

"Return fire with all remaining tubes!"

"Direct hit!" The ship somersaulted from the force of the missile, a large chunk blown out of the hull. Before anyone could declare a victory, the ship righted itself and came around again, firing a new salvo at them. Beka put the ship into a loop hoping to loose the missiles and let the countermeasures get them. The whine of the engines as they worked overtime to propel the ship at top speed filled everyone's head. Another hit jolted the Andromeda, but this time there was more than sparks and smoke. The whine of the engines abruptly stopped. The all encompassing silence even more threatening than the explosions from the missiles.

"I've lost ninety percent of the power to my main engines. Unless power is restored, we're not going anywhere."

"Harper!"

"I'm on it!" He bolted from Command, headed for the engine room. His heart pumped so hard he could feel it pushing out against his ribs. This was it. His chance to show that he could help clean up the mess he brought aboard. He wasn't going to let the crew down again.

The immense heat from one of the many fires scorched his exposed skin as he entered, making him feel like he was on fire. Immediately noting the source of the power loss, he got to work while the battle outside raged on.

XxXxXxXx

"Andromeda, status!" Dylan frantically yelled. The latest missile hit felt like it had torn the ship apart. Almost like the point singularity weapon they'd recently been attacked with.

"I've lost all power to the engines, life support's critical, hull breaches have spread but the bots are starting to seal them, and counter measures have been disabled."

"I'm receiving a hail," Trance put in.

"Let's hear it."

The weathered face once again appeared on the screen, smoke also filling his cabin. "Looks like the playing field has been leveled. Our ships are both badly damaged. The only difference is, I'm ready to die for my cause." The transmission was abruptly cut.

"What the..." Beka's unfinished question echoed everyone's thoughts.

"I'm reading a massive build up of energy and he's powering engines. He's heading straight for us."

"We'll both be destroyed unless Harper gets those engines working in about thirty seconds," Tyr stated.

"Harper! I need those engines now!"

XxXxXxXx

"Come on, baby, please. I don't ask you for much, well actually I do, but unless you cooperate this will be one very unhappy ending. For everyone." The damage was extensive. He was close. Just one more connection.

"Harper! I need those engines now!" Dylan's frantic voice boomed over the comm system.

"I'm workin' on it!"

A loud explosion followed by the screeching of metal nearly deafened Harper just as he was about to make the last connection. He was thrown backwards, a searing pain tore through his hip. He landed heavily on the deck, the air forcefully expelled from his lungs. His head connecting painfully with the bulkhead. His vision darkened, and his world spun.

"Harper! Engines now!"

It wasn't the words Harper understood. It was the desperation in the voice. The desperation he'd heard countless times on Earth. The desperation that someone showed when they knew they were about to die. He wasn't ready to let that happen. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he pushed himself up and started a painful crawl across the grating; his leg dragging behind him. About halfway there, his body decided it didn't like what was happening, and that familiar tingle filled his stomach before he rolled to the side and promptly lost was little food was in his stomach.

His breath started to hitch in his chest, tearing wracking coughs from his lungs. Dragging himself the rest of the way, he reached his shaking hand up and focused his eyes long enough to connect the last two pathways.

The most beautiful sound he ever heard filled his ears as the engines came back on line. Sheer relief flooded him, almost causing him to lose his frail grip on consciousness, but he knew that unless he got out of there, if the fire didn't burn him to death, the smoke would suffocate him.

XxXxXxXx

"I've got full power to the engines."

"Beka, get us out of his way!"

"You don't have to tell me twice," she yelled as she jerked the ship hard to port.

"Tyr, with whatever we've got left, open fire as he goes by. I don't want him coming at us again."

Moments later, a massive explosion jolted the ship, but this time it wasn't from weapons fire.

"Target destroyed," Andromeda calmly stated.

"Good job everyone. Let's get out of here before any of his friends come looking."

"Dylan, Trance, get to engineering immediately. Harper's seriously hurt."


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry this took so long, school's been hectic. I get to watch an operation on Wednesday. Yay!  
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, you guys are the best!! I'm open to any constructive comments. Is my writing style alright? I think it feels kind of disjointed, but maybe that's just because I'm the one writing it, not reading it. Enjoy!  
  
XxXxXxXx

Dylan and Trance raced though the corridors, Trance falling behind due to her shorter stride.

"What's Harper's condition?" Dylan breathlessly yelled as he rounded another corner.

"My internal sensors in engineering are badly damaged, but I'm reading fluctuating life signs and heavy fire damage," Andromeda's disembodied voice answered.

"Trance, get to med-deck and prepare for Harper's arrival. I don't want to risk your getting hurt in the fire."

"But Dylan...."

"Go Trance! You're the only one who can treat Harper!"

Knowing he was right, she turned around and started towards med-deck, trying to squash the rising panic. It was bad enough Harper was seriously hurt again, but it seemed very possible he was going to die this time. There was no way she was going to let that happen.

XxXxXxXx

The thick acrid smoke continued to flood engineering, burning his lungs and his eyes. He could feel the tears streaming down his face. Trying to ignore the pain shooting from his hip up his back, he dug his fingers through the deck plating and pulled himself forward.

He'd lived through enough Nietzschean raids to know what death by fire was like. At night he could still hear the agonized screams as people were engulfed in flames, and smell the burning flesh. There was no way he'd let himself die that way. As heaving coughs wracked his body, he almost gave up, but a scream echoed through his head and he resumed his crawling.

XxXxXxXx

At last Dylan arrived at the entrance to engineering, but came to a sharp halt, nose centimeters from the door. The door wasn't opening.

"Andromeda! Open this door now!"

The door slid open two inches, than grated to a stop. "I am unable to open the door any further, the damage is too extensive."

"Damn it!" Slipping both hands into the gap, he pulled as hard as he could. "Come on," he growled. Feeling a slight give, he braced his foot against the door frame and used that to push. With a groan, the door slid open three feet. Deciding that was enough, he grabbed a fire extinguisher after feeling the heat pouring forth.

After putting out the fires that posed an immediate threat, he started searching for the engineer.

"Harper! Where are you!" He jogged further and spotted a crumpled form on the deck. "Harper!" He ran as fast as he could to him, and was shocked, if not pleased, to find him conscious. At least he was still alive.

"...Dylan.." he breathlessly gasped.

"I'm here, Harper. I'm gonna get you out of here."

"Engines... the ship. Safe?"

"It's alright," he soothed. "Don't worry, it's been taken care of. You did good." He reached down to roll Harper onto his back.

"Aahhhh!" Harper's agonized scream tore through engineering.

Dylan jerked his hand back as though he'd been burned.

"...not my... hip.." Harper was close to the edge now.

Dylan had seen all the blood, but wasn't sure where it was coming from. Gently, he pulled up the hem of Harper's shirt, and tugged down the waist of his pants, exposing a jagged gash just below his hip bone. "My God, Harper." At the rate he was loosing blood, he might not make it to medical. He was only semiconscious now.

He quickly stripped off the outer layer of his uniform, and sliding one of the sleeves under the young man's stomach, he then brought the two sleeves together and quickly tied them in a tight knot, putting direct pressure onto the wound. Harper groaned and spasmed, but did not wake up fully.

"I'm sorry, Harper," he whispered. He slipped his arms under the young man and hefted him up, cradling him in his arms. Harper didn't even moan this time. Running, he made it to the door, then turned sideways to side step out so they'd both fit. Once free of the door, he broke into a run.

"Dylan, I'm not detecting any respiration's or cardiac activity," Andromeda's solemn voice announced.

"Damn it, come on, Harper!"

Trance was waiting at the entrance to med-deck as he approached. "Andromeda briefed me on his condition, get him on the table!" Dylan deposited him on the table while Trance hurriedly attached electrodes to Harper's temples, and ripped open Harper's shirt to stick one in the middle of his chest.

"Don't touch him," Trance commanded. "I'm going to use an electrical impulse to stimulate the contraction of the diaphragm and the heart."

Dylan backed away, but didn't remove his eyes from the horrific scene unfolding before him. His engineer, limp, pale and covered in blood, jerked with each electrical discharge. Blood dripped from the table, contributing to the growing pool on the floor. 'Don't do this, Harper,' a voice in his head whispered. He vaguely heard Andromeda announce no change in Harper's condition. Trance grabbed a large injector off a nearby table, and pushed the end of it deep into Harper's chest. She must have read the confusion on his face.

"It's epinephrine to stimulate cardiac activity. I need you to grab three units of the whole blood from the freezer, we need to get his volume up, maybe it will help his heart."

Grateful to have something to do, he quickly grabbed the needed blood and hurried back in time to hear Trance's excited exclamation.

"He's back! His blood pressure is climbing and he's breathing."

"Is he going to make it, Trance?"

"It's too soon to tell. He's lost a lot of blood, and the internal damage is severe. I'm going to have to operate."

"Keep me informed."

Trance made eye contact with him for a split second, but Dylan saw the uncertainty she tried to hide. How was he going to tell Beka? He left med-deck and glanced down at himself. Harper's sticky blood coated his uniform and his hands. He wouldn't be surprised if it was on his face as well. Deciding Beka didn't need to see that, he hurried to his quarters to change.

XxXxXxXx

Deciding there was no more immediate danger, Beka put the ship on auto pilot and hopped out of the chair, wringing her hands and pacing, trying to expel the excess adrenaline.

"Andromeda, what's going on, is Harper alright?"

"Trance is working on him. Dylan is on his way to speak with you."

"Trance is working on him?! What the hell is that supposed to mean! Is he going to be alright? How badly is he hurt?" She was beyond exasperated, and being driven mad with worry.

"Beka, Tyr," Dylan greeted.

"Finally. What's the hell's going on with Harper?" The look on the Captain's face said it all, though.

"Harper was seriously injured in an explosion in engineering. Trance is operating right now, but I'll be honest. It's not looking good."

Beka's sharp indrawn breath was the only noise on Command.

"What type of injuries has the boy sustained?" Tyr questioned. His voice reflected none of the worry he was feeling.

"He's got a large gash on his hip and as a result lost a lot of blood. It's hard to say if he has internal injuries, and I suspect he's also got a head injury. Trance will be a few hours. I suggest you two get some rest. I'll let you know the minute I know anything."

"Rest? How am I supposed to rest knowing Harper could be dead when I wake up?"

Dylan flinched. The bluntness of Beka's statement hit him like a sledge hammer.

"Beka, sitting here worrying isn't going to do yourself, or Harper, any good."

"Sleeping won't exactly do Harper any good either. At least awake I can be ready to go to him, if needed."

"I understand what you're going through, Beka. I really do. You need to be thinking about yourself as well. When Harper wakes up, he's going to need you at one hundred percent. If you're stressed out and emotional, he's going to pick up on that."

"You're assuming he's going to wake up at all."

"The boy is strong. He''ll get through this." Two shocked pairs of eyes turned to stare at Tyr. "The boy has lived through worse. I highly doubt he'll let something like this stop him."

XxXxXxXx

Beka sat in the mess hall, morosely staring into a mug of cold coffee. It had been over three hours, and they hadn't heard anything from Trance yet. At least that meant Harper was still alive, and had gotten this far.

She thought back to the time he'd gotten his cerebral port. He'd been really sick that time, and in a way it was worse because this time he had Trance caring for him. Of course she wasn't a trained doctor, but she'd worked miracles before. If Harper died like this, she'd never forgive herself.

She was so deep in thought, she never noticed Dylan enter and sit next to her. "Most people prefer their coffee hot."

A small smile graced her lips. "Except Harper. Back on the Maru, he'd get so engrossed in his work his coffee would sit there. Sometimes for hours before he finally got around to drinking it. Of course, he'd never waste it. Money was too tight to go around dumping out a perfectly good mug of coffee."

"It sounds like despite the hard life you guys had, you enjoyed your time on the Maru."

"Yeah, it had it's moments. Living the way we did, death was always waiting at the door. It was expected. But I'm not ready for this! Harper is too young."

Andromeda's voice interrupted their conversation. "Trance is ready for you guys in med-deck."


	10. Conclusion

I'm so sorry this took so long! If anyone is still reading, this is the final chapter. I know it is shorter than the others, but I couldn't think of anything to add that wouldn't ruin it.

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to review. If it weren't for you guys, I may not have finished this for a looong time. You guys are awesome!

I also know there are plot holes here and there. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me or ask them in the review and I'll get an answer to you. Enjoy!

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Come on, Harper! One more step," Trance coaxed. Harper's face dripped with perspiration, and his arms shook with the strain of trying to support his upper body. Gripping the bars tighter, he drug his right leg forward one more agonizing step. "Good job! Now, just one more.."

"One more my ass, you already said that," he panted.

"Well, if you could do one more..."

"No. I need to sit down." Sensing Harper was about to collapse, Beka pulled a chair over and Harper gingerly plopped down into it, heaving a giant sigh.

"You did good today, Harper. I'll see you tomorrow for another session." Trance gave him a perky smile and went about gathering her various supplies, and before leaving the two of them alone turned to say one more thing. "Oh, and make sure you start eating more as well. You wouldn't tire so quickly and you still need to gain back the weight you lost. Okay?"

"Yeah, whatever," Harper grumped.

"Well you're certainly the bringer of happiness today," Beka stated, taking a seat next to him on one of the nearby beds. "What is it?"

"What do you think? Look at me! I can't even walk!"

"Harper, it's only been a month! A piece of shrapnel tore open your hip and severed muscles, nerves, you name it. You're lucky Trance is here or you'd probably never have walked again." That had been the worst month of her life. Trance had called them all to med-deck so she wouldn't have to deliver the bad news more than once. She'd come close to tears as she'd explained the extent of Harper's injuries, and that under any other circumstances, Harper's leg would have been amputated. He'd spent almost a week unconscious from the head injury, and soon after infection had set in.

Everyday she came to med-deck. She'd comfort him through the pain or a nightmare, bathe him, talk to him even though she wasn't sure he could actually hear her, or just sit and watch him sleep. She wasn't surprised he was upset now. A month of constant pain and being rendered almost helpless would make anyone irritable. Not to mention the terrible scarring that would forever mar his side. Trance had done the best she could, but the extensive tissue damage could not be completely repaired. Trance had needed to open him up past the original injury to repair all the damage. As a result, there was red, angry scar tissue running from mid-thigh to above his hip bone. To Beka, he had looked more like a shark attack victim. Then there was the fact he had actually died before Trance even started operating on him. If only he realized how close he'd come to dying.

"A month. Gee, maybe by this time next year I'll be able to tie my shoes. I feel so useless." The last part was whispered, his eyes dropping to the floor. The demon that had been eating at him was now in the open.

"Harper, look at me." Gaining eye contact, she continued. "You are not useless. We would have died if it wasn't for you."

"If it wasn't for me, it wouldn't have happened in the first place."

"Harper, we've been over this before. No one blames you except for yourself. Sure Dylan's a little peeved about your computer reprogramming, but he'll get over it." She gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Trance says with a few more weeks intensive therapy, you'll be walking without a cane. Tyr has even volunteered to help. Go figure."

"He's probably just sick of doing repairs and needs some little human to tort... um, intensively train. I can hardly wait."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Mister Harper, come in." Dylan ushered the young man into his office. He was pleasantly surprised to see his walking had much improved. While he still drug his leg slightly, and leaned heavily on the cane, the very fact he was walking was a miracle. Despite all the yelling he'd heard going on between Harper and Tyr the past few weeks, whatever Tyr was putting Harper through was working. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, you know. Takes a lot more than an explosion, fire and near death experience to slow The Harper down," he replied with a forced smile, which too closely resembled a grimace. The hand holding the cane shook slightly.

Dylan ignored the fact Harper hadn't answered his question. He really wasn't expecting him to anyways. "Do you know why I asked you here?"

"Fire me?"

"Not quite." Dylan turned back to his desk and retrieved a small black case. Turning back to the young man, he opened the case and removed a small pin. "Harper, it is my honour to bestow upon you the Tri-Galaxy Gold Cluster, for courage and self-sacrifice in the line of duty." He moved to pin it on Harper's shirt, but the engineer took a step back.

"But I almost destroyed the ship! If I hadn't been so careless, I wouldn't have had to be so self-sacrificing in the first place!" he emphatically stated.

"I've thought about it for a long time, Harper. I don't hold you responsible. I guess I still have to get used to the fact the universe is still different from what I'm used to." He gave Harper a minute to digest that before continuing. "You have shown accountability for your actions, though, and that's an admirable trait." Dylan once again advanced on Harper and pinned the medal to the front of his shirt and saluted. Harper returned a sloppy salute, a shocked expression still evident on his face. "You've come a long way since I first met you."

Dylan put a hand on his shoulder and led him out of the room. Harper's mind was spinning. Whatever he thought he'd signed on for, it hadn't come anywhere close to this, and he was grateful.

"Trance says you're ready for light duty. I know Tyr has been piling various instruments and tools in the machine shop that needs repairs. After that, you should be ready to tackle some of the larger stuff." Dylan turned to head in the other direction, calling over his shoulder. "Oh, and Mister Harper, remove all of your computer by-passes first. Andromeda will be giving you a hand with that."

Harper smile to himself as he limped down the corridor. Maybe things would be all right after all.

The End


End file.
